We keep a list of donated products (movie tickets, store gift cards or other merchandise) and services (legal, dental, personal, financial) and make them available to the “social connectors” of the community, people like social workers or religious leaders. They help make the connection between the donations and the people who need them most.

You know that feeling when you really need a hair cut? Now imagine you’re a refugee, looking after your husband and your daughter, with no time or money to worry about anything other than survival. But you really need a hair cut. Now imagine you’re a young hairdresser. Someone approaches you and asks if you would consider coming to visit the refugee and cutting her hair. What would you say? In this real-life example, what you’d say is: “That’s incredible. I was just talking with my boyfriend about how I’d like to contribute to the community. But what can I do? All I know how to do is cut hair.” We all have gifts to share. What’s yours?

A family of five, living well below the poverty line in Toronto, are hit with the devastating news that mom has breast cancer. Faith and love help them survive the year of chemotherapy and surgery, but life has been hard. As mom’s birthday approaches the children beg for dinner in a restaurant to celebrate; but dad can’t even find enough food for tomorrow’s school lunches. A restaurant owner steps in and offers a free celebratory dinner for the family because he knows that it takes more than grocery store gift cards to feed the soul. “It was such a small thing for me,” he says, “and it meant so much to them.” Do you have a “small thing” to share?